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Report on the worldwide market for anti-infectives

Drug resistance is a key public health problem and also a problem for makers of branded antibacterial products, according to the findings of a new report. Traditional antibiotics: quinolones, cephalosporins, and penicillins, have seen their market share erode due to loss of effectiveness, while at the same time they are facing heavy generic competition.

3 Oct 2009

Publix Pharmacies offers to compound Tamiflu into an oral suspension for no additional charge

In response to the shortage of Tamiflu in liquid form, all 795 Publix Pharmacies will offer to compound Tamiflu into an oral suspension.

3 Oct 2009

Misuse of aspirin might have caused high death rate during 1918-1919 influenza pandemic

The devastation of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic is well known, but a new article suggests a surprising factor in the high death toll: the misuse of aspirin. Appearing in the November 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online now, the article sounds a cautionary note as present day concerns about the novel H1N1 virus run high.

3 Oct 2009

New study shows that NovoMix 30 is effective for type 2 diabetes patients who are to start on insulin

Data from a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) shows that type 2 diabetes patients starting insulin treatment with once-daily injection of NovoMix® 30 (biphasic insulin aspart) achieve a significantly greater HbA1c reduction compared to patients starting with a daily injection of insulin glargine.

3 Oct 2009

Bradycardia more likely in patients taking cholinesterase inhibitors

People taking one of several drugs commonly prescribed to treat Alzheimer's disease are more likely to be hospitalized for a potentially serious condition called bradycardia than patients not taking these medications.

3 Oct 2009

TNF-alpha inhibitor drug class sales to increase up to $1.1 billion in 2018

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, in addition to sales of Centocor Ortho Biotech/Schering-Plough/Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma's Remicade, the two emerging TNF-alpha inhibitors Abbott/Eisai's Humira and Centocor Ortho Biotech/Schering-Plough/Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma/Janssen's Simponi will drive sales of the TNF-alpha inhibitor drug class to nearly triple by 2018 for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

3 Oct 2009

Chinese government places second purchase order for Sinovac Biotech's H1N1 vaccine

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today that Sinovac has received its second purchase order for its H1N1 vaccine, PANFLU.1, from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China for the national stockpiling plan.

3 Oct 2009

Sagent announces launch of vinorelbine injection

Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that it has launched vinorelbine injection, USP, an anti-mitotic chemotherapy drug. According to IMS, 2008 sales of vinorelbine injection, USP in the United States approximated $17 million. Sagent will begin marketing and shipping vinorelbine injection immediately.

3 Oct 2009

Vaccinate children with H1N1 flu vaccine to control swine flu: UAB

The optimal way to control swine flu, the new H1N1 virus that emerged as a global threat in 2009, is to vaccinate children with the planned H1N1 flu vaccine, says the co-director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

3 Oct 2009

New strategic research service for the oncology market launched by Health Strategies Group

Health Strategies Group, a leading provider of market intelligence to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, has just launched Oncology Performance Edge, a new strategic research service that helps marketing and sales executives in the oncology field improve brand performance by understanding how best to invest their resources.

3 Oct 2009

Clinical study data of Thymosin beta 4 presented

REGENERX BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC. today reported on several clinical studies with Thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4) presented the Second International Symposium on Thymosins in Health and Disease, in Catania, Italy.

3 Oct 2009

90% of public support H1N1 vaccination for health care workers

As H1N1 influenza vaccine begins to be shipped across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize getting the first doses to high-priority groups. One such group is health care workers.

3 Oct 2009

BioDelivery Sciences International files NDS for BEMA Fentanyl

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.today announced the filing of a New Drug Submission (NDS) to Health Canada, the regulatory authority in Canada, for BEMA Fentanyl, also known as fentanyl buccal soluble film. BEMA Fentanyl is marketed in the U.S. as ONSOLIS, and the Canadian tradename is to be determined.

3 Oct 2009

EMEA grants positive opinion for Baxter's CELVAPAN H1N1 pandemic vaccine

Baxter International Inc. today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) granted its “positive opinion” for CELVAPAN H1N1 pandemic vaccine using Baxter’s Vero cell technology. This positive opinion confirms the acceptability of Baxter’s regulatory submission to obtain final marketing authorization and licensure of the product.

From Baxter International Inc. 3 Oct 2009

Americans are not getting correct drug information, says study

Do consumers truly understand how to take their medications and the possible side effects and interactions that can occur as a result? Though the vast majority of study respondents who have recently picked up a prescription drug say they understand how to take their medication (90%), only 60% are aware of the potential interactions with other prescribed medication, and only 58% are aware of interactions with OTC medication they are taking, according to the latest ‘Under the Skin’ survey by ORC Guideline, an infoGROUP company.

3 Oct 2009

First U.S. patients could receive H1N1 vaccine next week

U.S. health officials announced Thursday the first batches of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine the government ordered will begin arriving in designated locations across the country on Tuesday and may be administered in the first patients by the end of next week, Reuters reports (Fox, 10/1).

3 Oct 2009

Update from BioCryst Pharmaceuticals regarding antiviral peramivir

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX) today announced that the Office of the Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has issued "HHS Secretary's Declaration for the Use of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for the Influenza Antiviral Peramivir."

3 Oct 2009

Nutra Pharma manufactures first commercial batch of Cobroxin

Nutra Pharma Corp., a biotechnology company that is developing treatments for Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), HIV and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), has announced today that it has completed manufacturing the first commercial batch of Cobroxin and has successfully released it for final distribution.

3 Oct 2009

FDA grants Fast Track designation to Corthera's relaxin for treating acute heart failure

Corthera Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to relaxin, the company's investigational drug for the treatment of acute heart failure (AHF). The Fast Track program facilitates the development and expedites the review of new drugs intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions and that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs.

3 Oct 2009

CNN, TIME examine increasing antibiotic resistance

CNN examines a recent report by researchers that warns of increasing antibiotic resistance and appeals for governments to take action to develop new antibiotics to avert a health crisis.

3 Oct 2009